


but while we're here we should dance

by Dontfloatthe100



Category: The Pinkertons (TV)
Genre: (yes you read that right) - Freeform, And so is kate tbh, Ballroom Dancing, Deep emotional comversations, F/M, Scars, Will is emotionally stunted, but we love them anyways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-26
Updated: 2017-08-26
Packaged: 2018-12-20 06:06:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11914770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dontfloatthe100/pseuds/Dontfloatthe100
Summary: "So you're telling me you don't know how to dance," Kate said, her hands on her hips."No..." Will said, looking sheepish."You know, this would've been a nice thing to know before we're about to go undercover at a charity ball!"





	but while we're here we should dance

**Author's Note:**

> THE 20TH FIC IN THE TAG WE MADE IT KIDS and I'm super glad to be the one who got us there. Keep writing, I don't just want to be screaming about these nerds to the void.
> 
> UPDATE: GUYS I FOUND A WATERCOLOR PAINTING OF THE REAL LIFE KATE WARNE IT'S IN THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM HERE'S THE LINK http://all-that-is-interesting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/kate-warne-watercolor.jpg
> 
> Best,  
> Em

"So you're telling me you don't know how to dance," Kate said, her hands on her hips.

"No..." Will said, looking sheepish. 

"You know, this would've been a nice thing to know before we're about to go undercover at a charity ball!" Kate said, voice rising.

"I know, I'm sorry! It sort of just slipped my mind," Will said. He looked truly sorry, and Kate felt a little bad for yelling at him. But not that bad.

She shook her head and let out an irritated grunt. She then looked as if she had an idea and took off towards her room. Will could hear her rummaging around in there for a moment, before letting out a small 'Aha!' Kate came back in carrying a small wooden box. She turned it upside down and twisted a little knob a few times around. When she let go, sweet music filled the room. She placed it on the table.

"Fine," she said, "We'll deal with this. Put your hand on my waist," she said. 

Will choked. "What?" 

Kate rolled her eyes. "Hurry up, we don't have all day. We have to go to this ball, so I'm going to teach you how to dance."

"O-okay," he stuttered out, his usual air of confidence gone. He was completely out of his element, and being that close to Kate, touching her, always made all the air leave his lungs and his knees go weak. 

He moved his hand to her waist, feeling the soft fabric of her dress under his fingers. He had only ever seen her in it once before, when he had spotted her watching that man at the Dubois all those months ago. He had thought she looked quite fetching at the time (he still thought that), and of course had told her about it, making a fool of himself in the process.

Kate reached her hand up and gripped his shoulder, causing Will to gasp silently. With her other hand, she took Will's free hand and threaded their fingers together. Her skin was soft, Will noticed almost deliriously.

"S-so, what's first?" Will asked.

"Well, I suppose we should learn a simple waltz to start. It's basically a three-count step. I'll lead first to show you, and then you lead, okay?"

Will nodded. Kate pulled him along as she stepped back then sideways then forward, all the while chanting '1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3.' Will watched her face the whole time, enjoying the look of concentration that graced it.

Kate stopped abruptly. "Okay, now it's your turn to lead."

Will gulped. "G-got it."

He readjusted his hand on her waist, and pulled her into the first step. Then into the next and the next until they were moving with an inaudible beat. 

"Not as stiff with your movements, Will," Kate said, "We should be almost gliding."

They continued. Will found as they continued that the movements and steps seemed to blend together and bleed into each other. It seemed natural now, as natural as breathing.

"So," Kate said, "How come you never learned how to dance?"

"I guess my dad didn't think it was a priority. Or maybe he was just too busy," Will said.

"Hmm, makes sense."

"Where'd you learn?" Will asked.

"I had to pick it up. I often went undercover as a wealthy southern lady during the war, to get information out of some influential confederates. It was essential that I knew."

Will was reminded again of the depth of Kate's experience compared to his own. Sure, he had done some spying during the war, but he had the benefit of a hot air balloon thousands of feet above the confederate battlements. Kate had been right in the thick of things. One wrong move, and they would've executed her, just like the Union did to Rose Greenhow. Will shuddered at the thought.

"What?" Kate asked, noticing his distress.

"Nothing, it's nothing," Will said quickly.

"Okay..." Kate said, raising an eyebrow but not trying to push him any further. 

"You know, you didn't exactly answer my question," Will said.

"It was my colleague at the time. Timothy Webster. If I was at Alan's right hand, Timothy was at his left."

"Yeah, yeah I remember him. Nice fellow, funny," Will said.

"Yeah, he was. He thought it was imperative that I know how to dance before going undercover."

"Whatever happened to him?" Will asked.

Kate swallowed thickly. "He was executed for espionage by the Confederate army."

Will felt sick to his stomach. He had met Timothy Webster once, at a company party. He was a kind man, a bit of a drinker, but the life of the party. Will felt sorry for him, he truly did, but for the second time that evening all he could think was thank g-d it wasn't her.

Will wondered though, how many times it almost was. How many narrow escapes did she have? How many times had her wits been the only thing standing between her and a noose? 

"You could've died," Will said, at a whisper. He regretted the words almost as soon as they left his mouth, his tone revealing the emotion he would really rather have kept hidden. They stopped dancing, the music box long since stopped playing. 

Kate's eyebrows knitted together in equal parts confusion and concern. It wasn't worth hoping that she wouldn't be able to tell how he felt. She was very good at reading him by this point, and she was a spy. If confederate secrets weren't safe from her, Will's sure as hell wouldn't be.

"Yes," she said carefully, "I could've. But I didn't, Will. I'm okay."

Will got that, he did. He felt a little stupid even mentioning it. Him and Kate really didn't talk about stuff like that, like ever. He didn't want to look her in the eye, not now. Instead he looked at their fingers still threaded together. His eyes wandered down to her wrist, and over white scar tissue marring otherwise smooth skin. He felt a now familiar spike of protectiveness towards her, and a bit of the anger he had felt that day. 

Will unlaced their fingers and took her hand, cradling it between his own two. He ran his thumb over the scar almost unconsciously, causing Kate to take in a sharp breath. "I just-- I guess I forget sometimes, that you're not invincible. When Casey O'Brien knocked you out, or when Jesse cut you, or when you remind me of what you did during the war, I just-- I guess I remember that you're not..."

"Not what, Will?" Kate asked quietly, ducking her head a little to try and see his face.

"Not invincible."

Kate suddenly understood. She knew she was a bit of a mentor to him, as Alan was to her. Realizing your mentor isn't as unshakable as you thought is enough to make any mentee feel as if the world has gone topsy turvy.

Kate prepared to tell him as much, but something made her falter and rethink her conclusion. Will was still moving his thumb over her scar, as if by doing so he could make it disappear, or fade away into her skin. He moved with a gentleness that he never seemed to apply to his daily activities. Not even with the women who drifted in and out of his life. With them he moved with swagger in his step, a cocky smile gracing his lips. All traces of that person seemed to have vanished from Will as he repeated the movement. 

Kate guarded her heart very closely, hardly ever letting anything slip in or out. She was infallible and dutiful and she could understand why Will thought of her as invincible. But in that moment, she allowed herself to let down her walls, just for a moment, just to let Will in. 

She used her free hand to cup his cheek, lifting his face up so that they could make eye contact. He still averted his eyes, though. "Will," Kate said, "I need you to look at me."

Will finally met her eyes, finding them full of compassion and understanding. "Will, I'm not-- I'm not invincible. Being in dangerous situations, getting hurt? That's just part of the job, and you know that. I can't promise that I'll be alive tomorrow or next week or even after the ball tonight, but I can promise you one thing."

"What is that?"

"That I won't leave of my own accord. I promise I'll be here with you. As long as you need me."

Will bit the inside of his cheek, attempting to keep an 'I'll always need you' from slipping past his lips. Instead, he just nodded wordlessly, and let go of her hand. She removed her hand from his cheek, and they stepped apart. Kate reached into the pocket of her coat, pulling out a bronze pocketwatch. She checked the time, her eyes widening. 

"Damnit, we're gonna be late!" 

Will quickly grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and slipped it on. Will offered Kate his arm and she accepted it gladly as they stepped out into the cold night air. 

"Kate," Will said as she closed the door behind them.

"Yeah, Will?"

"Thank you."

Kate nodded at him and relinked their arms. As they walked, Kate smiled to herself, knowing that she hadn't lied to him. Not even once.


End file.
